NFL Preview: NFC

The second half of my 2012 NFL Preview...much better than the first half...somehow.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers

            What can you really say about the Packers? Their offense is amazing, and their defense isn’t. If the defense can put some pressure on the quarterback, the secondary wouldn’t look quite so horrendous. Remember, they gave up almost 5,000 yards in the air in 2011. However, this is a team with Aaron Rodgers, so they will probably be just fine.

Detroit Lions

            The Lions are like the Packers 2.0. Their secondary couldn’t stop anybody, and their D-line didn’t really put up the sack numbers that most predicted they would. Megatron and Stafford will put up huge numbers, but when you are in a shootout every week, you are bound to lose some.

Chicago Bears

            Chicago fans (I would guess) are very bullish on their offense this year. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffrey, and healthy Forte and Cutler could be a pretty nice set of tools. However, the word healthy and NFL often do not go together very well. The defense should be top 10 in the league, and I think they can challenge for a wild card spot this year.

Minnesota Vikings

            The point of this season is just to prove to everyone that Adrian Peterson is a superhuman. You can put him down, but only for a bit. As AP comes back from this ACL tear, it is important to remember that the Vikings are starting a second year QB and that you shouldn’t expect them to be too much better than last years 3-13, maybe 5-12 or so.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints

            Quick, which team in the NFL has the kind of leader on offense that can successfully deal with the suspension of a head coach for the entire season? I would like to submit the Saints as one of those teams. They will surely suffer some because of Sean Peytons suspension, but Drew Brees should be able to keep this offense in the upper echelon of the NFL. The Saints are also hoping that Curtis Lofton can bring them some added toughness against the run.

Atlanta Falcons

            Speaking of Lofton, he left this team, but the middle linebacker who is replacing him should do just fine. Sean Weatherspoon is a rising star in the league, and he should fill that leadership void. On the other side of the ball, Julio Jones and Roddy White should help ensure that the middle of the field is open, as they streak up the sidelines play after play. Perhaps this is the year that Matt Ryan joins the NFL elite?

Carolina Panthers

            Speaking of elite (I love segways), the Panther’s running game should be the leagues best in 2012. With a 3 headed RB attack (Williams, Stewart, Tolbert) and the runningest QB from last year, the Panther’s offense should be something to behold on the ground. As the running game stays strong, the Panthers also hope to see an improved Cam Newton. It is very possible that his statistics fall a little bit this year, but the Panther’s brass are hoping that the INT’s fall as well. Oh, and they can’t put pressure on the QB. Need to fix that.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

            The Bucs spent a little bit of money this offseason to help stretch the field. Vincent Jackson should be a nice option for Josh Freeman as he seeks to prove that he is a legitimate starting quarterback, and the addition of rookie RB Doug Martin can’t hurt either, as he can catch some balls out of the backfield. My biggest concern for this team is, much like the Panthers, their inability to get D-line penetration. Their big defensive investments from the last few drafts haven’t really paid dividends yet.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles

            I just drafted Michael Vick in 3 of 4 fantasy football leagues, and I am very afraid. The guy has played 2 series in the preseason so far, and has gotten injured both times. If he can stay healthy, the Super Bowl is not too optimistic of a prediction. This team has it all. Offensive dynamos, defensive stalwarts, health is really their biggest question.

Dallas Cowboys

            Its always been about performance for Jerry Jones. He will pay for it, draft it, whatever. This season, it looks like his defense could finally be scary. The pass defense is much improved, and any team with Demarcus Ware is going to pressure the QB. BUT, as always, everything hinges on the QB. If Romo can utilize his weapons, this can be a playoff team.

New York Giants

            Call me crazy, but I see a slight dropoff for the Giants. Meaning, I don’t think they win the Super Bowl. Now, I should probably have them above the Cowboys, but I am going out on a limb and saying that the Giants miss the playoffs altogether this year. There are a lot of good teams in the NFC, and somebody has to lose.

Washington Redskins

            Just like in Indy, Washington is focused on their brand new baby, Robert Griffin III. Everyone who talks to this young man really likes him, and they will LOVE him is he can bring his athleticism and intelligence together and win some football games. The outside LB combo of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan really help this defense as they swarm the pocket on every play.

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers

            Its nice when a team that sucks can suddenly become a team that wins. Mike Singletary couldn’t do it, but mean old Mr. Harbaugh has brought this team to a great place. The Defense is so good its inappropriate, and the offense was really well managed last year. (All of my “ifs” involve quarterbacks it seems) IF Alex Smith can air it out just a little more, while still not turning the ball over, the 49’ers should be right back at the top of the league.

Seattle Seahawks

            This is a team that is headed in the right direction. They have a young and exciting defense, led by Eric Thomas as the SS position, and they have a shiny new quarterback that they think will be really good. (There is discussion about whether that QB is Russel Wilson or Matt Flynn though) This team will still struggle to beat the really good teams in the NFC, but they are heading on up.

St. Louis Rams

            Ditto for the Rams. They have zero depth at wide receiver, and their pass defense needs some work…but they are the youngest team in the NFL, and they have skill and talent at a lot of positions. Give them 2 or 3 more years of drafting well and developing, and I think they are a playoff team. But not this year.

Arizona Cardinals

            You know how people say “last but not least”? Well, that does not apply to this list. The Arizona Cardinals should be the worst team in the league by several games. I think they will match the Colts 2-14 record from last year. The Quarterback situation is a mess, the offensive line is a mess, and the defense just doesn’t have the talent to make a difference. Sorry Cards fans, but your season is going to be depressing.

That’s the end of the NFL Preview…Sheesh, that took a really long time to write, and I am very glad that it is over. Now we can ignore everything I have said, since most of it will end up being wrong anyway, and focus on what’s important: Andrew Luck, my new favorite person in the world.

AFC Preview

Well, I guess I took the summer off from writing about sports, and that may have been a good thing. There was lots of baseball to watch, lots of MLB trades to not care about, and plenty of softball to be terrible at. Very busy. But, as the new sports year is gearing up, it brings with it the excitement of football! I know way more about the NFL than I do about NCAA football, so that is where I will focus. However, be prepared for some college football posts this fall as well.

To start the fall off, here is my NFL AFC preview. The teams are listed in the order that I think they will finish within the conference. I thought about projecting records, but then I remembered that that would require math. Nevermind.

AFC

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

            It is tough for a team to stay at the top of their division when their most productive and disruptive defensive player goes down. That will be the challenge that the Ravens face this year, as Terrel Suggs rehabs from a torn ACL. It will be up to the slimmer Ray Lewis and the rest of the Baltimore LBs to replace that production. The Ravens do still have one of the best running backs in football in Ray Rice, and Joe Flacco is back to his yearly routine of looking really good in training camp.

Pittsburgh Steelers

            For the Steelers, very little changes year to year. The offense will look very similar, although it will perhaps be without speedster Mike Wallace as he looks for a new contract. And the defense will be as annoying and stifling as ever. Although the older players on this Steeler’s defense are getting a bit gray haired, don’t expect their production to drop at all this year.

Cincinnati Bengals

            The Bengals are trying to build on a surprisingly successful 2011, where Andy Dalton grabbed the reigns at QB and A.J. Green looked like a superstar at wideout. The defense has added a couple of strong contributors, including a couple of starters at CB. This team probably can’t compete with Baltimore and Pittsburgh at the top of the division, but they will be entertaining to watch.

Cleveland Browns

            I hope the Browns like having high draft picks! I loved the 2011 Cleveland draft class, as Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson should both start and contribute mightily. However, there are too many holes on this roster for them to compete, although the defense could be SLIGHTLY improved this year.

AFC South

Houston Texans

            With the Texans, the questions on offense are all about health. If healthy, this team has a top 3 RB, a top 3 WR, and a top 12 (ish) QB. If Foster, Johnson, and Schaub can finish a season together, this could be a very dangerous team. On defense, they have lost some of their cornerstones, but the roster is deep and should adjust well to the losses.

Tennessee Titans

            The grizzled veteran versus the unpolished youngster. Jake Locker and Matt Hasselbeck will battle for the starting job this year, and if Locker wins the job, expect a more downfield offense. Chris Johnson returns from a full offseason of work, so should see his production tick upwards as well. Tennessee’s defense is very middle of the pack, so a slight increase or decrease in effectiveness should not be surprising. They need to work more on the run D than the passing defense.

Jacksonville Jaguars

            MJD, he of the very muscular body, is holding out for more money. If you remember, Chris Johnson held out last year, then had a tough time regaining his former brilliance. If MJD misses all of the preseason, this team could be absolutely horrendous to watch. Blaine Gabbert had a lot of growing pains last year, and the Jags have to be praying he shows some positive growth during the 2012 season.

Indianapolis Colts

            As a Colts fan, you have to be excited for the youth at QB. Unfortunately, other than Andrew Luck, the recognizable faces of this franchise are all on the backsides of their career. Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are all incredibly talented players. However, it would be naïve to see expect any of these players to still be playing in 4 or 5 years. The Colts will try to groom their youth and draft well again next year.

AFC East

New England Patriots

            How do you make an offense with Tom Brady, Welker, Hernandez, and Gronkowski even scarier? Add Brandon Lloyd to it! The speedy wide receiver will make the Pats offense even harder to stop this year. To me, there are no questions about this team regressing, its just how much other teams progress.

Buffalo Bills

            Case in point for progression, the Bills. They added the scariest defensive end on the market in Mario Williams, and he should help make their defensive front very sturdy. If the Bills offense, and especially their quarterback, can find some consistency, they really should challenge for a Wild Card spot in the AFC

New York Jets

            When the most interesting thing that has happened in a while is that your 2^nd string QB took a rainy job with no shirt on, you know that NY will try to spice it up. Camp brawl anyone? If the Jets can get to the regular season without hurting anyone, I still have a hard time imagining them improving much with Mark Sanchez at the helm. I have never been a big fan, and I don’t think Tebow can steer this team to the promised land either. Oh, Revis island decided not to hold out, so that is good.

Miami Dolphins

            I don’t know about you, but I am overjoyed that Chad Ochocinco got cut from the Dolphins this week. He can’t produce anymore, and he is a constant distraction for a team that is seriously trying to get better. And the Dolphins are doing that. Reggie Bush showed last year that he can be a feature back, and the pass rush should provide the defense something to build on.

AFC West

Denver Broncos

            As you can see, I have the Broncos finishing at the top of this division. Care to guess why? Peyton Manning, that’s why. The Broncos ran the ball really well last year, even without a threat of throwing the ball. If you add in the respect that Manning will bring to the passing game, the runners should have a lot more space to work with this year. Like a lot of teams, Denver needs to improve its secondary, but their pass rush should be very effective.

San Diego Chargers

            The Chargers just can’t seem to shake the injury bug. Ryan Matthews and Vincent Brown will both be out for several weeks, although Matthews hopes to be back by Week 1 or 2. The success of this team largely rides on Philip Rivers. He needs to have a bounce-back year after he threw 20 interceptions last year.

Kansas City Chiefs

            The Chiefs are pretty scary on the offensive side of the ball. They have plenty of playmakers with Charles, Bowe and McCluster all on the field together. If Tamba Hali can get back on the field from his suspension and be effective, the defense will be just fine too, as Eric Berry comes back from injury to bolster the secondary.

Oakland Raiders

            Oakland fans are excited and probably a bit sad about their first full season without crazy man/owner Al Davis. However, the team is full of athletes that he drafted, and they have some optimism as they are relatively healthy this preseason. If Darren McFadden can stay on his feet for 16 weeks, the Raiders could move into the top 2 of this division. They have that kind of offensive talent.

Man Crush: Andrew Luck

I don't know if you heard, but Andrew Luck played football yesterday. The Colts had their first preseason game against the St. Louis Rams, and Lucks line was as follows:

10-16, 188 yds, 2 TD, 1 rush for 9 yds (3 total touchdown drives)

I think a couple things really stood out to me as I watched.

1. He looks good running the offense. Now, he didn't audible at the line of scrimmage or call his own plays, but he did at least use a snap count a couple of times, and he got the ball where it needed to go. He made good decisions overall, and obviously did not turn the ball over.

2. His throwing mechanics are impeccable. From his feet, to his head, to his arm, Luck looks like a model when he throws the ball. His 2nd touchdown was a 23 yard strike to Austin Collie in the endzone. He threw the ball hard, with a perfect spiral, and it went exactly where it should. I read one blogger who thought that Peyton Manning could not make that throw with that velocity at this point. Very interesting.

However this works out, there is some positivity in Nap-town today, and we are all happy that the Colts got another goofy looking QB to replace their last goofy looking QB.

Dwight Howard Trade Analysis

I wish we could call this the Andre Iguodala trade, or even the Moe Harkless trade, but the honest truth is that every single one of these players has Dwight Howard to thank for their new home. Lets take a look at each of these four teams, what they gained and lost, and how they will improve or worsen in the coming season.

(All info take from John Hollinger @ ESPN.com)

1. The Lakers give up Andrew Bynum and a protected 2017 first-round pick, and receive Howard.

The Lakers are obvious reasons here. They got the best center in basketball, and they didn’t have to give up the most well rounded power forward in the game to do it. Humongous deal. Can you imagine this team? Kobe, Nash, Howard, Gasol, and World Peace? That is a fantastic starting lineup. The Lakers are definitely right back up in title contention this year.

2. The Nuggets give up Arron Aflalo, Al Harrington and a protected first-round pick, and receive Andre Iguodala.

I actually really like this trade for the Nuggets as well. Big Al is past his prime, and Afflalo is probably making more money than he is worth. Iguodala fits in really well with the fat pace that George Karl likes to use, and his defensive ability can make a real differene with this team. He will probably play the 3, with Danilo Galinari playing the 2. This team probably wasn’t please to see the Lakers get better, but they improved themselves this season and beyond.

3. The Sixers give up Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless and a protected first-round pick that can be no earlier than 2015, and receive Bynum and Jason Richardson.

Philadelphia hasn’t had a really good post player since…Moses Malone? Derrick Coleman? (haha) anyway, I am sure that they jumped on this chance to acquire Andrew Bynum. He will absolutely anchor this team, and allow their preassure defense to be even more intense.

4. The Magic give up Howard and Richardson, and receive Afflalo, Harrington, Vucevic, Harkless and the three protected first-round picks mentioned above.

The Magic are not improved through this trade. We all knew that would happen, it was all about getting better in the future. Only time will tell if this trade helps in that regard. The first round picks are all lottery protected, so they will have to draft really well for them to matter. I am a fan of Moe Harkless, and Vucevic played some decent minutes for Philly last year. However, these players are both young, and they join a Magic team that looks to lose a lot of games this year.

Well, Dwight Howard got what he wanted. We will have to see if he actually re-signs with the Lakers after this season, or if he ditches the West coast and heads back to Atlanta, his childhood home. Either way, blockbuster trades always make the coming season more interesting, and the Lakers will be must see tv all season.

2012 NBA Draft Team by Team Analysis

I was in agony, I was jittery, I was giggly…the NBA Draft everybody! I actually had to close Twitter last night because the freaking experts were spilling the beans on every pick before it happened. Very upsetting. But anyway, the draft is over, and it is time to begin thinking about what has happened. I think the easiest way to go about this is to look at what each team acquired over the course of the draft and see if it will actually be helpful for them or not. (Why is this highlighted??! Blogger, you are confusing)

Alphabetically

1. Atlanta Hawks:

John Jenkins (SG) Vanderbilt, Mike Scott (PF) Virginia

The Hawks made a a solid choice with this late first round pick. John Jenkins can shoot the lights out, and he has worked hard to be able to put the ball on the floor a little bit too. He instantly gives the Hawks a legitimate outside shooter, which they have not really had lately. Nice Pick. And Mike Scott should provide a bit of stability off the bench. y'know, to take some of Zaza's minutes.

2. Boston Celtics:

Jared Sullinger (PF) Ohio State, Fab Melo (C) Syracuse, Kris Joseph (SF) Syracuse

Boston addressed some pretty big needs in this draft. They picked up a low post scorer in Jared Sullinger (who had slipped because of some red flags about his lower back), a shot blocker in Fab Melo who can give Kevin Garnett a bit of a break, and a slashing wing who ISN’T old in Kris Joseph. Really solid draft.

3. Brooklyn Nets:

Ilkan Karaman (PF) Turkey

This draft was already a failure because the Nets traded away all of their draft picks to get Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace during last season. If they aren’t able to keep Williams, it will have all been for nothing. Poorly planned, Brooklyn.

4. Charlotte Bobcats:

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (SF) Kentucky, Jeffery Taylor (SF) Vanderbilt

The Bobcats did the smart thing and drafted players to help their new coach succeed. Dunlap wants to run up and down and defend hard. MKG and Taylor love to do both of those things. It fits perfectly for Gilchrist to slide right into the starting lineup and Taylor to come off the bench to keep the level of intensity up. Taylor really improved his outside shot at Vandy, and hopefully the No 2 overall pick will work to do the same.

5. Chicago Bulls:

Marquis Teague (PG) Kentucky

If you hadn’t heard, Derrick Rose will probably be out until Christmas or later as he recovers for the ACL injury that he suffered last season. That means the Bulls have a rather large and conspicuous hole at PG this coming season. Now, Teague probably won’t start, but he will get a chance to come off the bench and run this team a little bit. He can eventually start learning from the best when Rose comes back. Smart.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers:

Dion Waiters (SG) Syracuse, Tyler Zeller (C) North Carolina

The Waiters pick at No 4 overall was a rumor that started late in the day on Thursday, and it turned out to be true. Waiters is a slasher and a playmaker, not the 3 point shooter that many thought the Cavs needed. However, he also is one of the players in this draft who can really change an offense. With Zeller, the Cavs traded a first round pick and 2 2^nd round picks to get him, which I am ok with. Zeller brings the same workman attitude that Varejao does, but he already has a higher skill level and ceiling. He will work really hard to be his best, and his best will be pretty good. Great Draft.

7. Dallas  Mavericks:

Jared Cunningham (SG) Oregon St., Bernard James (C) Florida St., Jae Crowder (SF) Marquette

Speak of the devil, here are the 3 picks the Mavs got from the Cavaliers. I love these picks. Jared Cunningham is a slashing ball handler who can get to the rim and distribute, Bernard James will punch you in the face after he blocks your shot, he works that hard! And Jae Crowder was one of the most impactful players in college basketball last year. He is small, but he can do absolutely everything on the court. If the Mavs keep all of these players, they really have a chance to develop into solid NBA role players, which is really as much as you can ask for.

8. Denver Nuggets:

Evan Fournier (SF) Spain, Quincy Miller (SF) Baylor, Izzet Turkyilmaz (C) Turkey

Lets see, the current small forwards for the Nuggets are Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Justin Hamilton. Now there is also Evan Fournier and Quincy Miller. While both of these players have high ceilings and should develop well, at some point you have to consider the redundancy on your roster. Maybe the Nuggets are planning some sweet trades, and I really do like these players, I just question the timing. Nobody on earth knows anything about that dude from Turkey.

9. Detroit Pistons:

Andre Drummind (C) UCONN, Khris Middleton (SF) Texas A&M, Kim English (SG) Mizzou

The Pistons did a great job of addressing needs, both present and future, in this draft. Andre Drummond will (hopefully) pair with Greg Monroe to give the Pistons a great front court. If Drummond can develop even 70% of his potential, he will be a double-double guy who blocks a ton of shots. Khris Middleton is a solid SF who will help mitigate the eventual departure of Tayshaun Prince, and Kim English has a beautiful stroke from 3. The Pistons really needed a Center and a shooter, and they got both of them in this draft. Good job.

10. Golden State Warriors:

Harrison Barnes (SG) UNC, Festus Ezeli (C) Vanderbilt, Draymond Green (SF) Michigan St, Ognjen Kuzmic (C) Spain

To start off, once again nobody has any idea who Kuzmic is, but he is really tall. Now, for the other picks, Barnes should be able to start at the shooting guard is Golden State right away. Klay Thompson and he will kind of slide between the SF and SG spot as needed, but they really give the Warriors a deadly outside duo. Ezeli is a monster inside. He can’t really score that well but he rebounds like an animal and can block some shots, a great backup to Andrew Bogut. Draymond Green will just continue to do what he does, play smart basketball at any position on the floor and contribute however he can. Good Draft.

11. Houston Rockets

Jeremy Lamb (SG) UCONN, Royce White (SF) Iowa St., Terrence Jones (PF) Kentucky

I loved this draft. For all the talk that they were trying to trade for Dwight Howard, the Rockets still chose high ceiling players with their 3 top 20 picks. Jeremy Lamb is long and lean and can put the ball in the basket. He should be a great wing addition for this team. Royce White is a very interesting player. He can pass the ball, score in the post, run the break with or without the ball, and defend 3-4 positions on the floor. If his shot gets un-broke, he will be awesome. And Terrence Jones is a hard nosed 4 man who gives the Rockets yet another weapon. Now if they could only find a center…

12. Indiana Pacers:

Miles Plumlee (C) Duke

Remember, this is team by team, not draft order, so don’t freak out that this is No 12. Plumlee will really help strengthen the Pacers frontcourt. He can (somehow) jump out of the gym, he works as hard as anybody, and he has a desire to get better. He will do a great job of backing up Roy Hibbert if he stays with the Pacers, and Miles could possibly develop his jump shot enough to be an offensive threat as well.

13. LA Clippers:

Furkan Aldemir (PF)

IDK. He seems nice. In better news, it looks like the Clippers are trading for Lamar Odom, for whatever that means.

14. LA Lakers:

Darius Johnson Odom (SG) Marquette, Robert Sacre (C) Gonzaga

The Lakers did a good job of finding some potential in the final 10 picks of the draft. Odom has a real chance in this league as he is an athletic slashing guard who has delevoped into a shooter over time. He works hard and defends hard, and that means a lot. Sacre is a reasonably unathletic center, but he has great footwork and a decent jumper. He will probably stick, since most big men seem to.

15. Memphis Grizzlies:

Tony Wroten (PG) Washington

Wroten is one of those guys that get a GM fired or get him a raise. He has all the ability in the world as a 6’5” athletic point guard. He has great vision and he loves taking the ball to the rim. However, he also turns the ball over a lot, can’t shoot worth a lick, and that scared some teams. If he can develop his jumper, he is a going to be really, really good. Here’s hoping.

16. Miami Heat

Justin Hamilton (C) LSU

What is the one thing the world champions needed? Size. Hamilton brings that. He isn’t a shot blocker, but he is a wide 6’10” who can bang, grab boards, and shoot a really good mid-range jumper. He should help to fill that void at center, though he may not totally fill it.

17. Milwaukee Bucks:

John Henson (PF) UNC, Doron Lamb (SG) Kentucky

The Bucks made some really solid picks in this draft. They finished acquiring shot blocking, as they add Henson to Samuel Dalembert, Ekpe Udoh, and Larry Sanders. Henson should also be able to develop into an adequate offensive threat, once he finished gaining 30 pounds by eating nothing but Milwaukee cheese for the next month. Doron Lamb fills another void on this roster. He knocks down threes like its his job, and the Bucks really needed that. I think these are two really intelligent picks. Should work out.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves:

Robbie Hummel (SF) Purdue

The T’wolves think that they already have a good foundation for their team. They added a knockdown shooter in Chase Budinger through a trade, and now they add Shane Battier lite in Robbie Hummel. The Purdue senior is a 3 point shooter who will work his butt off 100% of the time. He may not be the same defender Battier is, but his offensive game may be a bit more diverse. This wasn’t a spectacular draft, but the Timberwolves think they will get better just by having some age on their team.

19. New Orleans Hornets:

Anthony Davis (PF) Kentucky, Austin Rivers (SG) Duke, Darius Miller (SF) Kentucky

Anthony Davis, blah, blah blah. If you haven’t heard of him, don’t worry about it, he is an obscure, out of nowhere player…nvm. Anyway, adding Austin Rivers was an interesting choice. He really divided scouts, because he mostly has eyes for the basket, not for his teammates. However, he can be a really valuable player as he develops, and Monty Williams will make sure that he has every chance to learn how to play. The pick of Darius Miller is smart in all ways. He is a great glue guy, and he can be buddies with their franchise cornerstone, Anthony Davis.

20. New York Knicks

Kostas Papanikolaou (SF) Greece

A draft and stash kind of player, he should be able to come over in a couple of years and make a reasonable impact.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder

Perry Jones III (SF) Baylor

I loved this pick. Jones slid down draft boards because of concern about his knee, coupled with the already existing concern about his desire to be great. I think he landed is a perfect situation. Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka are the two players that he should model his game and work ethic after. This team gives him a chance to develop into the player that he wants to be, whatever that may be.

22. Orlando Magic

Andrew Nicholson (PF) St. Bonaventure, Kyle O’Quinn (C) Norfolk St.

The Magic are obviously preparing for the possibility of a large void in their frontcourt. If Dwight Howard leaves, these two players can attempt to fill some of that void. Nicholson is by far the better scorer, with Ryan Anderson type range, but a bit of a nasty streak inside. O’Quinn is the banger of the two. He is a large body with a decent touch who will grab many rebounds. Decent choices.

23. Philadelphia 76’ers

Moe Harkless, (SF) St. Johns, Arnette Moultrie (PF) Miss St.

The Sixers made some smart choices here. First, the picked up Harkless who could really develop into a high scoring small forward. He has length, athleticism, and a desire to beat people. Moultrie is a really bouncy power forward who will rebound the ball really well. He also has a decent jumper and will be a threat on both ends of the floor. Really good trade with the Heat to get the player that they wanted. Good draft.

24. Phoenix Suns

Kendall Marshall (PG) UNC

If Nash stays with the Suns, Marshall will be able to develop his already extraordinary passing skills behind the best passer in a generation. If Nash leaves, Marshall will be given the keys to an offense that he has basically already played. Run and gun with some pick and rolls thrown in there. Great pick by the Suns,  as they got their point guard of the future no matter what happens in free agency.

25. Portland Trailblazers

Damian Lillard (PG) Weber St., Meyers Leonard (C) Illinois, Will Barton (SG) Memphis

Fantastic draft. The Blazers knew that they needed a PG, so they drafted the best one in the draft. Lillard compares really nicely to Derrick Rose in terms of measurements. He is less explosive and a better shooter, but that isn’t a bad thing by any stretch. Meyers Leonard fills the hole at center, although he may not be a strong contributor for a couple of year. He is huge, he loves to dunk, and he has a great skill set. The late pick of Will Barton is one I really like too. He is one of those players that isn’t crazy athletic or elusive, but can somehow just put the ball in the basket. He will be really valuable as a replacement for Jamal Crawford.

26. Sacramento Kings

Thomas Robinson (PF) Kansas

The Kings weren’t sure if they wanted this pick, but they did the smart thing and took Robinson with this pick. He will team with Demarcus Cousins to make up a really strong frontcourt for this team. Robinson really improved his post up game, developed a jump shot, and added those things to his terrific rebounding skills. He is a great player, and could be a 20-10 guy really quick.

27. San Antonio Spurs:

Marcus Denmon (SG) Mizzou

The Spurs love laughing at everyone else during draft night. They let everyone else pick the character problems, or the potential busts, then they just pick solid players who fit their scheme. Denmon is a great shooter and is basically a quicker clone of Gary Neal. You really can never have enough shooters, and the Spurs just grabbed a good one.

28. Toronto Raptors

Terrence Ross (SG) Washington, Quincy Acy (PF) Baylor

The Raptors really wanted some outside shooting or a playmaker with this pick, and they obviously thought that Ross was the best option on the board. He is a great shooter and a good leaper. He will need to improve his ball handling, but he should help stretch the floor immediately for this Raptors team. Also, Quincy Acy is the type of player that every coach wants. He rebounds, he takes charges, he gets offensive rebound, he is a great pickup for late 2^nd round.

29. Utah Jazz:

Kevin Murphy (SG) Tennessee St.

The Jazz really wanted to move into the first round in this draft, but couldn’t get it done. They consoled themselves by picking up another young player to add into their team. If Alec Burks turns into the starter, then Murphy would be his high scoring backup. He really puts the ball in the basket, like a lot. He likes to score, and he can get to the rim. Decent choice at this point.

30. Washington Wizards:

Bradley Beal (SG) Florida, Thomas Staransky (SF) Spain

The Beal pick was what everyone hoped for. Beal will give John Wall a running mate in a fast paced offense. He can take the ball to the basket or shoot the three, and he should be ideal for this Washington team. Sataransky is a decent player already, but he won’t be ready to come to the States for a few years at least. The Wizards definitely improved their team here.

Well, that is the draft! I didn’t grade any of these picks, but I obviously gave my opinion. Remember, I love the draft, and I think everyone will average 20 ppg, so be cautious! Let me know what you think of my thoughts. (is that metacognition?)

Man Crush: Kenneth Faried

The writers over at HardwoodParoxysm.com are really, really good at writing poetical and beautiful narrative about basketball. I really enjoy reading their stuff, so I am going to give that style a shot when writing about the my man crush, Kenneth Faried.

They don’t call him the “Manimal” for nothing. With his flying dreadlocks, non-stop motor, and fierce athleticism, Faried is the living embodiment of an energy player. Combine that with an innate ability to sniff out the ball in the air, a fearless approach to both sides of the floor, and a humility born of humble beginnings, and you can see why I have a gigantic man-crush on this forward for the Denver Nuggets.

If you get a minute, go ahead and watch this video about this Man + Animal + nice person.

As we look at a few numbers, the most important thing to remember is that Faried was a rookie in the NBA this season.

10.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 58.6 fg%, 21.94 PER.

What is big there is that Faried only played 22 minutes per game, and his PER numbers were tops among all rookies, and 18^th out of all players in the league. His Player Efficiency Rating was higher than Dirk, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, and Josh Smith. He produced at an incredibly high level for a rookie because he knew his role and stuck to it.

I believe that Kenneth Faried will be a starting power forward in the NBA for the next decade at least, and will probably lead the league in rebounding before all things are said and done. That is why my man crush is Kenneth Faried.

GM Finals Perspective

So, it is down to the Thunder and the Heat. Good vs Evil, Durant vs. Lebron, Perkins vs. Turiaf (Maybe not). This is set up to be one of the most exciting NBA Finals that we have seen in a long time. Game 7 of the Heat v Celtics series was the most watched basketball game on cable television EVER. That means good things for the NBA, and it especially means good things for the Finals.

I don't want to spend too much time talking about the actual series, but I do want to spend a little bit of time talking about the differences between the two teams. From a General Manager's perspective, these teams couldn't be more different.

The Miami Heat were forged through money. Yes, the did draft Dwayne Wade back in 2003, Mario Chalmers in 2008 and.... As far as contributing players, that is it. Haslem, Battier, Miller, Anthony, Bosh, James, all of these players were signed as free agents, or traded for over the last few years. This is a team of mercenaries in some sense. Lebron and Bosh decided that they would go to the team that they thought could win. Now, what is interesting is their salaries. All three players are making between15.6 and 16.02 Million dollars this season, practically identical salaries. The three players, Wade, James, and Bosh, decided to make about 20% less money so that they could all play on the same team. Very interesting and smart business decision by them, the idea being that they could make a ton of money and still give the Heat a little bit of room to sign veterans. Obviously, the team could still use some effective role players, but the fact that the Heat have gotten to the Finals two years in a row is kind of good.

By contrast, the Oklahoma City Thunder were forged through drafting. (And by stealing from a city in the pacific northwest). They drafted Nick Collison in 2003, Kevin Durant in 2007, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka in 2008, and James Harden in 2009. That is their top 4 best players, and an incredibly valuable role player, all through the draft. You can make a very strong argument that the Thunder had the best 3 year draft ever, but you probably can't make that argument for a few years when all 3 of Durant, Westbrook and Harden are established stars. So, it is easy to see the contrast that this team makes with the Miami Heat. However, money is going to be very interesting for this team as well. Keving Durant is currently signed through 2016 for 82 Million dollars. Lots of money, but not quite a max contract. HOWEVER, Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka are all going to require 10+ million dollars a year in the very near future. Ibaka made 1.2 million dollars this year. On the open market, he will require 8-10 times that money, especially if he keeps developing. Unless players take less than max deals, the Thunder are going to find themselves in the same boat as the Heat in 3 years.

As a General Manager, you don't really care how you build your team. If you are winning, bringing in fans, and making money, then it really does not matter who you drafted or hired. However, money is always going to be the biggest issue that a team can face. The NBA is a business, and other teams are going to try to headhunt and steal employees with more money, better co-workers, and better working conditions. The challenge of a GM is to identify who you can afford and who you can replace, while still putting a winning product out on the floor.

Would you rather your team drafted or bought a superstar?
Let me know.

Man Crush: Mike Trout

I simply cannot get over how much I love Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels. He is a rookie, he just turned 20 years old this year, and his slash line is: .338/.388/.559. (Thats average/on base percentage, and slugging percentage) He has played in only 34 games and has already scored 24 runs, hit 5 HR, batted in 22 people from the lead off spot, walked 12 times, and stolen 9 bases.

He just won the rookie of the month award for May, and will probably win it 2 or 3 more times this year and challenge very strongly for the Rookie of the Year for the 2012 season.

But what I like most about him is his approach to the game. He plays extremely hard, and he does it with a humility that is incredibly endearing. He doesn’t take a play off, he uses his athletic ability to its greatest effectiveness, and has shown an intelligence to be able to adjust between at bats. I think Bryce Harper is supremely talented, but Trout has the kind of personality that will let all fans like him, not just Angel's fans.

I officially have a man crush on Mike Trout. This series will be on-going.